P&W Cornelius Pass and Astoria operations?

[BN Oly]

Hello,

Could someone advise me what P&W is currently running over the Astoria and Cornelius Pass routes? When best to see them? Thanks!

 

[steam4449]

I've become extremely lost on the current status on the Astoria line, but the Cornelius Pass (United District) is still in use. The PNWR's Harbor Turn runs through the pass twice a day, depending their schedule. Last I saw, the power was PNWR 3051 and PNWR 3005.

I'm finding myself curious for history on the Bendmeer district that ran off of the United District near the Dick Rd. trestle, and lead into Beaverton.

 

[BN Oly]

As far as I can see on Google satelite the Cornelius pass line no longer connects to the old SP in Beaverton and then on the the OE line because of the Max line, is that correct? How does the Harbor turn get from the Cornelius Pass line to the OE line? Runaround at Banks?

 

[steam4449]

Correct, the Bendmeer district is no longer in service, or even together for that matter

The Harbor Turn starts off at Banks, and runs along the Tillamook District (through Beaverton, Hillsboro), to Banks. Then at Banks, the power runs around the train, and pulls from the other side and heads east to United Junction, where it runs through North Plains, the Helvetia area, Cornelius Pass, and arrives in Linnton. On the return trip, it just reverses the process.

 

[BN Oly]

thanks for the info.... Is there a movement that handles traffic between Banks and Salem via the old OE, or is the OE passenger only now between woodburn and tigard?

I would imagine now with trackage rights to salem there is less freight movement on the westside line between Sherwood and McMinville? If I remember right there is a pretty stiff grade somewhere along that segment.

 

[fulltritty]

I was on the Coast Starlight on Tuesday and saw the P&W putting together a train in Draperville, OR. Also saw a Willamette & Pacific locomotive working the yard there.

 

[wigwagfan]

I would imagine now with trackage rights to salem there is less freight movement on the westside line between Sherwood and McMinville? If I remember right there is a pretty stiff grade somewhere along that segment.

There is a grade over Rex Hill but it's not insurmountable. The bigger problem is maintaining all the wood trestles on that route, and the fact that most of the traffic coming out of McMinnville and the Willamina District goes to California, so why not just send it to Albany and not deal with the grades or the bridges. Wouldn't surprise me if it gets abandoned for a bike trail; it's been studied to death for commuter rail and shockingly, each report gives commuter rail a dim view on the route - the last study said it might pencil out to Newberg but not to McMinnville.

SP Newsprint in Newberg is all but shut down so trains only run north of McMinnville as-needed; I believe the only real freight is hog fuel (old railroad ties) going to feed the power plant; no scrap paper in or newsprint out.

Cascade Steel lost a lot of traffic to trucks - a lot of the scrap that used to go to CSRM from Portland now is trucked in.

Willamina Branch is down to one sawmill (Willamina Lumber - Hampton) shipping; Fort Hill is gone, Conifer is gone, Boise hasn't shipped in decades, and I don't think the pole companies are shipping by rail nor is the small mill in Sheridan. Not the time of year for agricultural traffic in/out of Sheridan or Ballston.

Dallas Branch is embargoed and stuffed with well cars. Boise in Independence is shut down just as Weyerhauser in Dallas.

The OE simply has a more diverse traffic mix and also hits all the big cities that the Westside doesn't.

McMinnville lost Nursery Supplies West (used to receive plastic pellets by hopper for making nursery pots), and the team track downtown is now out of service. All of the downtown ag shippers are long gone; all that's left is Purina Land o' Lakes (the old Mac Feed) at the south end of town. I'm not sure what Buchanan Cellars gets at Whiteson as I believe they did add a spur.

 

[wigwagfan]

is the OE passenger only now between woodburn and tigard?

Hardly. In fact it's common to see freight trains running while WES trains are in operation.

The WES service runs between Beaverton, Tigard, Tualatin and Wilsonville; not to Woodburn. The Tigard Yard is located about mid-way in this stretch, and the Tillamook District continues west from Beaverton to Hillsboro, plus there is a good industrial area with various spurs in Beaverton (although many of them have been ripped up or are in disuse, but Bluelinx, a major lumber distributor, is located back there and gets plenty of centerbeams.)

 

[steam4449]

Dunno if this helps you, BN Oly. But here are the videos to my PNWR Harbor Turn chase from May of 2009. It'll show you the route.

Part 1 [Beaverton (Farmington Rd.) to Hillsboro (Susbauer Rd.)] -tp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzDGhOHlsO0
Part 2 [Vadis (Dersham Rd.)] - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FC4zkNwRVHg
Part 3 [North Plains (Jackson Quarry Rd.) to Folkenberg (Tunnel Spur)] - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnL95u8BvqQ
Part 4 [Linnton (Harbor Siding to United Jct.)] - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qbsnJbdEow
Part 5 [Folkenberg (Tunnel Spur) to Hillsboro (Schefflin)] - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZH66ud221E

 

[BN Oly]

This is great info, thanks all! I spent 4 years in Corvallis at OSU and knew the south end of the W&P well but never got much further north than McMinville. Plus that was back in the days when BN still ran the OE. Much appreciated!